Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Developer account removed by Apple

seraleev.notion.site

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

311–320 of 457 posts

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#311

Post by elashri »

realusername wrote: post #149
judge2020 wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the main draws of iOS is its resistance to malware, adware, and outright scam apps. Requiring third party app stores disproportionately harms those that purchased the device specifically for these purposes (such as people at higher risks of being targeted by nation state actors). And this isn’t something that can be addressed with a new uber-secure product just for these people, because the EU will deem it a g…

> One of the main draws of iOS is its resistance to malware, adware, and outright scam apps. Well no, the appstore is as full of scams, malware and adware as everywhere else. They managed somehow to convince people it's a safe space though, not sure how but I consider it a bad thing since people are more likely to trust it blindly. > such as people at higher risks of being targeted by nation state actors https://apps…

> The Saudi Arabian app to track what your wife is doing is still on the appstore, no need for a thirdparty store.

While I usually don't like the saudi system but this app in particular is about making it easy to manage official government paperwork online [1]. This applies for all residents (citizens or not) and people really like it. So it is not an app to track females movements. While you can disagree or agree on the male approval requirements for a female to travel (I disagree) but it is not like it tracks movements using GPS or any invasive data. It just make it easier to manage the permits and all other interactions with the government without having to drive long distances and wait in lines.

Well as a complete outsider in another country who probably never went to Saudi Arabia like yourself, I would be more careful.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absher_(application)

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#312

Post by megous »

Terretta wrote: post #241
freedomben wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're going to say that, I think you need to explain why you feel like Apple was in the right. This sort of vagueness and ambiguity is extremely unfair to the accused, and this is notoriously what big tech does (and I think it's wrong). What is it about the apps that you feel either does or should violate policy?

> What is it about the apps that you feel either does or should violate policy? OK, using the article's words, let's count the ways: Within 10 days, we updated each of the six applications: removed all rating requests, revised all payment screens in line with Apple's recommendations, added Intercom for swift user assistance, established a help center with articles on canceling trials, requesting refunds, and implemen…

I'm just glad the state doesn't work as you suggest, lol.

"Dear citizen, we have detected wrongful behavior on your part. Stop doing the wrongful behavior. You should know what we mean. As long as the behavior continues, the state will appropriate 20% of your salary. Here is a list of behaviors that you might or might not have been engaging in: [link to the penal code]"

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#313

Post by nlitened »

ponector wrote: post #176
nmilo wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right actually, I forgot all Russians share a bank account with Putin.

Every person who use russian currency is sharing accounts with putin. Every transaction is taxed with VAT, which goes to support government and war.

Right, not the billions paid for Russian oil and gas by western countries.

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#314

Post by jacquesm »

ajhurliman wrote: post #302
jacquesm wrote: post #255

All of this is a direct consequence of allowing a gatekeeper in the first place. Every app developer is fractionally guilty of enabling Apple to position themselves as such. I've built a neat little bit of software and I'm sure I could monetize it by wrapping it up as an app. But there is no way that I'm going to give either Apple or Google more power than they already have so the development of the app is a bit slow…

All of these self-proclaimed “platforms” need to be regulated: no participation in your own platform (Amazon Basics), or at least no self-preferential treatment, caps on platform usage fees closer to 3-5%, neutral and open source search algorithms, limits on advertising. I’m a capitalist at heart but this is anti-competitive, it’s closer to feudalism than capitalism.

We're perilously close to an internet that is entirely siloed, so instead of AOL we end up with two or maybe three more or less incompatible versions of AOL, and with far more control over the lives of their customers than AOL ever had.

There is some chance that it will end up with only two of these players depending on who reaches the point where they have enough free cash that they can further consolidate, assuming regulators don't step in.

Google on the one side, Apple on the other, with AWS owning retail and Microsoft absorbed by either Apple or Google (unless their OpenAI bet pays off further). FB up for grabs and Twitter will die.

It could easily happen. So, which side of the web do you want to be on? I want to be on the open web, not in some walled garden, no matter who owns it.

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#315

Post by ravenstine »

throwaway892238 wrote: post #298

I don't understand why anyone tries to build a livelihood on these stupid platforms. It's a virtual certainty that you will get screwed over and have no recourse. If the platforms continue to be a major source of income for many people, then those people need to petition their elected representatives to force the platforms open. The OS has to give you a choice of browser, so the smartphone should have to give you a c…

More and more people are doing their computing solely on smartphones, targeting one or two architectures is appealing to developers, and app stores are pretty much the only way in to that market.

I do agree in that I personally wouldn't give mega corporations that much power over my livelihood.

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#316

Post by cfpg »

madeofpalk wrote: post #28
mortallywounded wrote: post #4

Something feels off... those apps don't seem like 33K/MRR worthy. I suspect some kind of manipulation was being done to... help?

I've never seen these apps before. I have no idea who this company is. But these icons, names, and type of apps I typically associate with trash behaviour I wish was removed from the app store. Like a Video Joiner Pro that lets you concat two videos, has a 1 week free trial and then $20/month subscription. Edit: Ahh yup, that's exactly what this is > A simple and convenient collage maker will help you make cool video…

I agree, even the author aludes to this when refering to trials and how to cancel them. (text in parenthesis added by me)

> One day before removal, we had 1209 active trials. (money in our pockets)

> [...] established a help center with articles on canceling trials (cause we have a UI team dedicated on making it complicated)

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#317

Post by robocat »

usrbinbash wrote: post #197
echelon wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I guess the App Store fraud prevention team hasn’t necessarily found a good solution yet. The most essential device of the century is owned by two companies. The ability for them to completely control software and business activities on top of something that is almost as essential as public transportation is appalling. The DOJ needs to remove the "app store" racket for essential computing devices. Software needs to…

> The most essential device of the century is owned by two companies. As long as people play along, yes it is indeed. If more people were installing a free mobile OS, and thus take back ownership of their hardware and digital lives, the story would be much different. It's the same story with PCs. If you actually want to control the hardware you own, install Linux. It's not as if the alternatives to corporate control…

> If more people were installing a free mobile OS

I think people would if there were a viable free option.

Also it isn't easy to find good mid-range hardware. I bought HMD(Nokia) for years but then I spent 250 on one of their new models and the phone was absolutely unusable (laggy UI).

Having to research models and software versions of CyanogenMod every few years just wastes my time. And then run into issues.

Plus security matters to me.

Microsoft failed to enter the market with billions spent - it isn't an easy problem.

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#318

Post by realusername »

elashri wrote: post #311
realusername wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One of the main draws of iOS is its resistance to malware, adware, and outright scam apps. Well no, the appstore is as full of scams, malware and adware as everywhere else. They managed somehow to convince people it's a safe space though, not sure how but I consider it a bad thing since people are more likely to trust it blindly. > such as people at higher risks of being targeted by nation state actors https://apps…

> The Saudi Arabian app to track what your wife is doing is still on the appstore, no need for a thirdparty store. While I usually don't like the saudi system but this app in particular is about making it easy to manage official government paperwork online [1]. This applies for all residents (citizens or not) and people really like it. So it is not an app to track females movements. While you can disagree or agree on…

The app is doing both purpose since they follow their local laws, you can also read the wikipedia entry on the impact on women.

I'm open to some kind of argument like "apple has no choice in such dictatorship" but this argument is contradictory with the argument that its protecting from nation states.

And since we mentioned Saudi arabia, we can also mention China where icloud is dodgy, it's not a unique case. I'm sure they are others I don't know about.

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#319

Post by bostik »

ano-ther wrote: post #297
judge2020 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was talked about by Phillip Shoemaker (head of App Store Review 2009-2016) in this talk[0], where some developers figured out that if they hired marketing firms to commit review fraud on a competitor’s app, their competitor would get terminated because there’s no clear way to actually attribute the fraud to the developer. I guess the App Store fraud prevention team hasn’t necessarily found a good solution yet. 0…

That’s a very thorny problem. How can you distinguish such a bot attack from a self-promotion?

The same way you detect a really good piece of satire from actual news.

Re: Developer account removed by Apple

#320

Post by lamontcg »

chongli wrote: post #129
echelon wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Requiring third party app stores No stores. Web install. Web first class. No "only Safari/webkit engine" limitation. If Apple is so genius, they can solve malware with all of those engineering minds and dollars they have. They don't need to hind behind a store to do that. The tools and techniques are readily available and accessible for a company of their size and stature. Permission layer, app runtime heuristics,…

No stores. Web install. Web first class... Permission layer, app runtime heuristics, and fingerprints are a start. How does that work? If it's open web download and install with no notarization (because that's also gatekeeping) then we're back to the good ol' days of the 90's and early 00's. In other words, anything goes and it's up to the user to keep themselves secure, which in practice means rampant security failu…

I still use MacOS and Linux, which is still the "old days" and its been 20+ years since the last time I had issues with getting hacked.

A lot of the solution is just not to install random shit out of app stores, and to install software that has a good reputation (and use adblockers on search engines like google so you don't click on trojan ads).

If you scroll down to the 10th page of the listings for 2048-clone games and install something at random you're probably going to get hacked.

Post reply on HN